Letters to the editor – Brantford Expositor

Proud to be Canadian

When I watch the COVID-19 gong show from the White House and then watch the daily updates from the PM and his cabinet ministers, I am not only relieved to be Canadian but downright proud.

At least our politicians are trying to keep us informed, emphasizing what we need to do and attempting to answer questions from the press in a respectful way.

Are they getting everything right? Most likely not. But I would be terrified if they operated like the Republicans and their sociopath of a non-leader in the White House.

The best thing we can do now is stand behind our political leaders and follow their guidelines to the best of our abilities and not fuel partisan agendas.

Barry StreetBrantford

There may be another result from COVID-19 as a result of self-isolation. I would suggest that hospitals prepare for a pandemic of babies in nine months.

Bill Calvesbert

Brantford

U.S. President Donald Trump was lambasted for referring to COVID-19 as the Chinese virus. Although I have no use for Trump, what he said may not have been politically correct but his label simply reflects the truth.

The fact is that COVID-19 is a direct result of the practices that occur in public markets in China. The slaughter of cats, dogs, bats, snakes, rodents and other creatures, in such a manner, will invariably unleash dangerous pathogens into the human population. Such occurred with SARS, and has happened again. This time, the stakes are much higher, as a lethal pandemic has been spawned, which may ultimately kill millions of people across the globe. One would hope not, but that potential surely exists.

Sad to say, when this crisis is over, political correctness will prevent quintessential measures from being enacted. China should, in fact, be held accountable for this disaster, and should pay compensation to every nation affected. That wont happen. Additionally, all countries should refuse all traffic from China, until these detestable practices are stopped. That wont happen either. Political correctness will one day be our undoing.

John Harley Whitlock

Brantford

Fascinating to see what services people really need and how service providers are coping: restaurant takeout, dry cleaning, gas bars.

What we are not needing is almost every function of government, except our neglected health-care system.

Hopefully, when COVID-19 is a memory, we wont forget these lessons and demand similar efficiencies from governments as we have seen for more than a generation from computerization, the internet and eliminating or redesigning processes.

John PurkissSt. George

There is a lot of misinformation out there regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. One theory I have read is that the virus was propagated by our government to induce panic and take over our lives. Another theory is that this is all media hype.

The measures that we are being asked to take ending non-essential travel, maintaining social distancing, increasing hand washing are to help stop the spread of this virus. I hope the skeptics will see that this pandemic has the potential to endanger our fragile health-care system to the point of collapse.

Freda GouletBrantford

Out of curiosity, I compared the 10 happiest nations listed in your newspaper against the 10 nations with the largest gross domestic products. Not a single one of this latter group appeared in the happiest nation group. Canada came closest. It has the 10th largest GDP and ranked 11th in happiness.

All of which supports the adage: Money cant buy happiness.

Nor, apparently, can money buy health. The two wealthiest nations on Earth are also among the three hardest hit by COVID-19. The third one, Italy, also is one of the top 10 GDPs in the world.

Robert J. MacMillanBrantford

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Letters to the editor - Brantford Expositor